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Friday, 11 December 2015

The lessons learnt
from the Indo-Pak joint statement at Ufa finally produced a breakthrough in
Islamabad. The clincher was the hush-hush meeting in Bangkok. It produced a
joint statement clearly spelling out all issues both sides plan to discuss. As
in Bangkok, the Ufa statement had all the ingredients to move the dialogue
process forward. But it failed to clearly spell out that “all outstanding
issues” also meant Kashmir. The Indian media, present in strength in Ufa,
immediately hailed — with a gentle nudge from South Block — the statement as a
victory for India. This foray into a kind of triumphalism triggered an opposite
reaction in Pakistan. And that terminated the Ufa breakthrough. Two other
opportunities went abegging because India drew red lines that Pakistan could
not have honoured.

This time the
dialogue platter has more subjects than the comprehensive dialogue process that
began in 1997. It endured despite being buffeted by the Kargil conflict in
1999, the Parliament House attack in 2001 and a change in government in 2004.
But the Mumbai attacks finally killed the spirit behind it just when a
breakthrough was imminent. This time, statements by leaders from both countries
seem to indicate they intend staying the course. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj
promised to move at a pace Pakistan is comfortable with and Pakistani Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif maintained that working for the achievement of a peaceful
neighborhood is a “cardinal principle” of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

On a wider
geo-political plane, the gesture has travelled far and wide. At hand in
Islamabad were high-ranking delegations from 18 countries, assembled to bring
closure to the Afghan conflict. Thus the filling of the Indo-Pak breach raises
India’s stock for responding to Pakistan’s overtures despite no movement to
accelerate the trial of its citizens accused of masterminding the Mumbai
attacks. If carried forward with perseverance, it will not just outflank the
spoilers in India and Pakistan, but Afghanistan as well. The NSAs of both
countries now need to put the rowdier elements under strict vigilance to
maintain a conducive environment.

Northern Command
chief Lt Gen DS Hooda’s visit to China from December 14 to 19 will fine-tune
communication channels between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army
(PLA) for quickly resolving stand-offs in Ladakh.

A hotline between
the Northern Command Headquarters and the PLA may also be established.

“Besides fine-tuning military
ties, a hotline between the Northern Command and the PLA in the western sector
and more mechanisms to quickly resolve incidents of stand-off at the local
level will be discussed between General Hooda and his counterpart from the
western sector,” said a defence source.

The Line of Actual Control (LAC)
has not been delineated in Ladakh. Therefore, both sides will evolve more
efficient ways and methods at the local level to avoid stand-offs, the source
added.

A defence official pointed out
that military ties between the two countries had been constantly improving.

“This year both armies have
opened two more border meeting points — Chushul and Daulat _Beg Oldie (DBO) —
in Ladakh and now this visit will further propel the ties,” he said.

“Since there is no well-defined
LAC, incidents of transgression do occur but there is an understanding between
us _to maintain peace and this visit will further fine-_tune coordination at
the local level,” the defence official said.

Till May 4 this year, both sides
had witnessed 59 face-offs and 68 incidents of transgression on the LAC in
Ladakh.

On August, India and China
opened their fifth border meeting point at the Daulat Beg Oldie sector in
northern Ladakh for local Army commanders to meet and sort out issues amicably.

“Lt Gen Hooda will lead a
delegation of military officers to China from December 14 to 19 on the
invitation of the Chinese government,” said defence spokesperson Col SD Goswami
said.

Lt Gen Hooda and other officers
will visit various military and civil establishments in China, including the
PLA Headquarters at Beijing and the Lanzhou military region, he said.

The delegation will also
exchange views on measures to usher in greater peace and tranquillity along the
Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh and Xingjiang province of China, he
said.

China had denied visa in 2010 to
then Northern Command chief Lt Gen BS Jaswal on the grounds that he was
responsible for a “disputed” state.

With the onset of
winter plus the presence of around 60 terrorists on the other side of the
198-km-long Indo-Pak international border, the BSF has deployed more men and
more electronic surveillance gadgets to foil intrusion bids.

“While we remain alert 24x7
throughout the year, manpower has been increased and more electronic gadgets
for surveillance are being used to

foil any mischief from across
the international border,” said RK Sharma, Inspector General, BSF (Jammu
Frontier).

On the gaps in the form of
rivers and rivulets that flow into Pakistan and marshy lands, he said they had
been adequately covered.

“That is why no infiltration
bids are taking place. Till now, we have also not seen any suspicious movement
on their (Pakistan’s) side but they (ultras) are very much present in launching
pads. Perhaps our security grid is so strong that they are finding it difficult
to attempt infiltration,” said Sharma.

It may be stated here that
during winter Pakistani terrorists shift their focus from the Line of Control
to the international border, largely a plain area, to attempt intrusions and
sneak into the

state for carrying out terror
attacks.

On the international border,
Pakistani militants usually adopt traditional routes that exist in the form of
over 13 rivers and rivulets that flow into Pakistan.

Chhap nullah, Bhag nullah,
Tarnah nullah, Bain nullah, Aik nullah, Devak nullah, Basanter river, Tawi
river, Chenab river and two or three rivulets that flow into Pakistan are being
guarded by BSF men, said official sources. These gaps and marshy land are
getting the attention of the BSF.

“The BSF has put up more lights
and obstacles, including early warning systems and laser fence, in some areas,”
a source added. A second line of defence has also been put in place and all 15
commandants of the BSF have been asked to remain alert, said sources, adding
that foot patrols have also been upped.